fraudulent

adjective

fraud·​u·​lent ˈfrȯ-jə-lənt 

: characterized by, based on, or done by fraud : deceitful

fraudulent use of a credit card

fraudulent claims for unemployment compensation

—Wall Street Journal

fraudulently adverb

fraudulentness noun

Synonyms of fraudulent

• dishonest
• false
• deceptive

Examples of fraudulent in a Sentence

Corrupt leaders were chosen in a fraudulent election.

fraudulent use of a credit card

the victim of a fraudulent scheme

Recent Examples on the Web

Prosecutors said Chavez, a former operator of a ketamine clinic, provided Plasencia with vials of liquid ketamine and ketamine lozenges that had been obtained by submitting a fraudulent prescription in the name of a patient without that patient’s knowledge or consent. —Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 16 Dec. 2025

According to court documents, Jones submitted — or directed others to submit — fraudulent expense reports, often using fake or altered invoices to seek reimbursement for expenses that never occurred. —Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025

As a result, supply and demand forecasts may be more accurate, and fraudulent data may be kept out. —K.h. Koehler, Ascend Agency, 15 Dec. 2025

The company required a 95% confidence threshold before banning fraudulent advertisers; those falling below it were often allowed to continue operating, sometimes at higher fees. —Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 15 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

fraudulent

adjective

fraud·​u·​lent ˈfrȯ-jə-lənt 

: based on or done by fraud

fraudulently adverb

fraudulentness noun

Legal Definition

fraudulent

adjective

fraud·​u·​lent

: characterized by, based on, or done by fraud compare deceptive, false, misleading

fraudulently adverb